In electrical power distribution, transformers are utilized in the transmission of electricity. Relatively low voltage high current electricity from a power plant generator is converted by a transformer to a high voltage low current supply for transmission over long distances. The high voltage supply is then converted by a second transformer back to a low voltage higher current supply for local distribution to customers. The process of transforming the supply to a high voltage is necessary to reduce losses in the supply during transmission.
In transforming the electrical supply from one voltage level to another voltage level, heat is generated in the core of the transformer. Mechanisms have been developed to remove this heat to improve performance of the transformers. Conventional transformers for use in power transmission are either oil-filled or dry-type transformers. In oil-filled transformers, the oil is circulated around the core and through a radiator. Heat from the core is transferred to the oil and then dissipated to the air surrounding the transformer through the radiator. In dry-type/air transformers, the air is cooled by natural or forced circulation of air or gas through and/or around the transformer.
Core heat is particularly undesirable in super-conducting transformers because the core heat can raise the temperature of the coils of the transformer that need to be maintained within an operative temperature range. Thus, rather than simply degrading performance, core heat can result in the inoperability of a super-conducting transformer. Therefore a mechanism is needed to cool the temperature of the core to avoid overheating the super-conducting coils.